As we come to this New Testament book of Ephesians, we come to the realization of who and what we are in Jesus Christ, and what He has given to each of us who know Him as Lord and Saviour.

The entire book will be a blessing to you as you read through it's pages. Let me suggest that you do that reading at another time, other than your devotional time. Ephesians will be a blessing to you.

Our key verse today, verse 22, sets the stage for our Lord to come to power in His kingdom to come, especially as you combine verse 21 and 22. Please notice however, that presently our Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places, verse 20. Jesus Christ is not now on His throne, where He will rule and reign from in the future.

We are not now in the Kingdom. This is a very important truth that must be enforced at this time in history. The Kingdom, when Jesus Christ will rule and reign, is during the future 1000-year kingdom, Revelation 20:4-6. This kingdom comes into place after the return of Jesus to Jerusalem, Zechariah 14:4.

The reason that this is so important today, is that there is a belief in some Christian circles that we are in the Kingdom. It is referred to as the "Kingdom now" doctrine.

The Old Testament prophets did speak of a "kingdom" for the Jewish people one day. Daniel 7:13-14reveals the truth of that coming Kingdom, which will be a physical Kingdom headquartered in Jerusalem. Jesus Christ will build His temple on the Temple Mount, Zechariah 6:12, and rule and reign from that temple for 1000 years, Zechariah 6:13.

If we say we are in the Kingdom right now, we contradict God's prophetic program for the Jews in the future. In fact, in order to be in the Kingdom right now, we must negate all Biblical promises to the Jewish people for the future.

That is what happened in Nazi Germany in World War II. Hitler was setting up the 3rd Kingdom and he had to remove the Jews in order for that to happen. Wrong doctrine is very dangerous.

Our text today says God has set His Son in position to have dominion over all of creation in a Kingdom to come.

In closing let me say that all we see going on in our world today seems to be setting the stage for God's end time plan for an earthly Kingdom to be set up in Jerusalem. Though it is not now in operation, our Lord's Kingdom is close at hand. We must live in light of that truth.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord for who and what we are in You and for Your Kingdom to come!